Meatball Soup

1 beaten egg
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 Tbsp. flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can beef broth
1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 cup tripolini (tiny bow ties) or ditalini (tiny thimbles)
3 cups fresh spinach, torn

Combine egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan or Romano cheese, parsley, onion, garlic salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape meat mixture into 36 balls.

Cook meatballs in a large skillet over medium high heat about 8 minutes or until no pink remains, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Drain fat from pan. Set meatballs aside.

Stir together garbanzo beans, beef broth, undrained tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add pasta; return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Stir in spinach and meatballs. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or just until spinach is wilted.

Makes 4 main-dish servings

Notes:

I used regular dry bread crumbs (not soft). I wound up with only two dozen meatballs, so next time I need to make them a bit smaller! I substituted one can of navy beans for the garbanzo beans. Next time, I think I'll use fresh diced tomatoes with a few dashes of basil and oregano. I don't care for the large chunky canned tomatoes. I also think two carrots, finely chopped, would be a nice addition. This was a delicious and hearty soup. Quite easy, too!

Adapted from Simply Perfect Pasta magazine (1995)